"Without a shadow of a doubt" - Jacob Smith admits Rodtang  is the toughest fighter he has ever faced

Third-ranked ONE flyweight Muay Thai competitor Jacob Smith carries a no-nonsense approach to the fight game, but he also knows when to give credit where credit is due.

In an interview with ONE, Smith gladly gave ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon his hard-earned flowers:

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"100% mate. Without a shadow of a doubt. As I say, there was nothing shocking in terms of physicality, he was just a lot more technical than I expected. You've seen him punk out a lot of his opponents, and I expected him to try it on me. So it was a learning experience."

The United Kingdom star experienced Rodtang's greatness first-hand when they crossed paths in the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix quarterfinals in May 2022. Rodtang handily won via unanimous decision.

The 32-year-old bounced back from the defeat by knocking out the hard-hitting Walter Goncalves at ONE Fight Night 17 in December the following year.

Smith will look to utilize his past experience with Rodtang when he challenges 'The Iron Man' for the 135-pound Muay Thai crown at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. 'Reug Reug' on Friday, Nov. 8, inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Jacob Smith filled with confidence ahead of Rodtang rematch

Jacob Smith is overflowing with confidence at the mere thought of dethroning Rodtang in front of his compatriots, which he believes will happen at ONE 169.

Smith said in an interview with ONE:

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"It would be off the charts. It's something I'm not just dreaming of but something I'm envisioning every single day. I just feel like this is my time, man. I just do."

ONE 169 will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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